The visual relationship between a transportation corridor and the adjacent properties is critical when making landscape and aesthetics decisions. The aesthetic quality of a transportation facility and adjacent structures must be considered from the viewpoint of the vehicle operator and adjacent property users. Regardless of the land use, the objective is to achieve an appropriate visual fit between the transportation facility and its surroundings.

Aesthetic design decisions should be based on information from two primary sources. The first consideration is the character of the existing properties adjacent to the corridor. Base information should be gathered in the field such as dominant colors, materials, and scale. The second source of information is the public participation process. Very often public objections, particularly regarding expansion projects, relate to aesthetic concerns. It is essential that the public participation process be used to identify these concerns and, to the extent possible, address them in making landscape and aesthetics decisions.

In most cases, aesthetic issues will involve one of the following design objectives: